Ghostly whistle concert ends at NY Wire

   With a nod of his head, Scott Ryan signaled that the air be shut off, and "Silent Night" came to a quiet end. A small group, mostly regular visitors who watch and listen to the steam whistle concert from inside New York Wire Company, applauded and yelled 'thank you' to Scott and his father, Donald.

New York Wire Company is closing next year, sending much of its work to China, and the whistle and the concert will die-- as will about 170 jobs at the plant. Don says plenty of new companies are willing to host the whistle concert, but it's not a signed deal. Tuesday morning's carols could be the end of a 120-year old tradition.

The Ryans have been playing the concert for two dozen years, and Don's been playing for 55 years. The whistle has been singing its eerie Christmas songs since 1889, but for the past four years or so--Don can't remember exactly-- it's been an air whistle concert. New York Wire's steam boiler died that year, and concert officials imported an air whistle concert. The factory has seen its better days, and a few bricks are crumbling just around the corner from the whistle. The door frame is rotted, and it's a chore opening the thick fire door.

It's the same kind of spooky sound that came from the roof-mounted whistle before but with a different source. The sound has been described as 'whiney', 'off-key', and 'ghostly'.  The Ryans move a lever back and forth to limit the amount of air to the whistle, and it creates the notes. A guide on the mechanism shows the Ryans where the general area should be for a particular note, and whoever is not playing that song 'directs' with a baton on the printed sheet music.

The music plays for about 20 minutes. It's piercing sound is heard throughout York city and beyond. That this little whistle could create so much sound and now so much energy in finding another home is remarkable.

The concert is not the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, but then, it's not supposed to be. It's a solid tradition that has been around for more than a century, and while it won't gently lull anyone to sleep, Yorkers love it. Like many traditions, we go along with it (some would say suffer through it), just because it's ours. 

It's like eating pork and sauerkraut for New Year's, or clams during a traditional family Labor Day clambake. You might not like either, but it's a tradition, so you eat. Once a year, and you learn to like it. 

 Because the whistle level isn't exact, sharps and flats are sometimes beaten to death and notes are almost always slurred because of the mechanics. The highest notes in 'Silent Night' stab right through the ear plugs that everyone inside is wearing.

Don played the first seven songs, and Scott played the finale, 'Silent Night'. People hung around for a bit afterward, trying to soak up the ambiance. One by one, they all wandered out the door for the last time.

Yes, the whistle might play again next year. But it won't be quiet the same as this skinny corridor at New York Wire.